Digitally controlled translational movement

ABSTRACT

The bolt of a warp knitting machine is movable longitudinally and is urged by a spring in one direction against a stop. A rotating cam moves the bolt in the opposite direction. A plurality of blocks have an operative position between the cam and bolt and an inoperative position spaced therefrom. Electromagnets are employed to move the blocks from the inoperative to the operative position. The blocks have thicknesses that are digitally related to each other and each is a different digit.

United States Patent 1151 3,653,232

Walter [451 Apr. 4, 1972 54] DIGITALLY CONTROLLED 3,464,235 9/1969Salway ..66/86 TRANSLATIONAL MOVEMENT FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS[72] wane" Denzlmgen Germany 204,446 11/1908 Germany ..66/86 [73]Assignee: Firma Erwin Sick 265,540 10/1913 Germany.. 458,199 3/1928Germany.. [221 489,059 1/1930 Germany.. [21] Appl. No.: 31,045 628,23911/1961 Italy ..66/86 Primary Examiner-Ronald F eldbaum [30] ForeignApplication Priority Data Attorney-Darbo, Robertson & Vandenburgh Apr.8, 1969 Germany ..P 19 17 835.9

[57] ABSTRACT [52] U.S. CL ..66/86, 66/154 The bolt of a warp knittingmachine is movable longitudinally and is urged by a spring in onedirection against a stop. A rotating cam moves the bolt in the oppositedirection. A pluralit of blocks have an o erative position between thecam [56] Rekrences cued and t aolt and an inoperativ e position spacedtherefrom. Elec- UNITED STATES PATENTS tromagnets are employed to movethe blocks from the inoperative to the operative position. The blockshave 3,478,543 1 l/ 1969 F anmger ..66/86 thicknesses that are digitallyrelated to each other and each is 3,456,461 7/1969 Offermann et al...66/86 a diff t digit 3,089,322 5/1963 Bruce et a1 ....66/154 3,006,170lO/ 1 961 Chapuis ..66/86 2 Claims, 1 Drawing Figure Jueuu/uueuuue NPATENTEDAFR 4 I972 IN V EN TOR. AR THUR Wu; TER

DIGITALLY CONTROLLED TRANSLATIONAL MOVEMENT BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OFTHE INVENTION This invention relates to a digitally controlledtranslational movement, in particular for controlling the guide bars ofwarp knitting machines.

For sometime, pattern chains have been used to control the guide bars ofwarp knitting machines, in particular the weft thread guide bars(pattern guide bars) which determine the pattern of the texture by theirposition. During the knitting process the pattern chains run over adrive pulley past the rams of the guide bars. Depending on the shape ofthe chain elements the corresponding ram and with it the guide bar isshifted to a greater or lesser extent. For each guide bar there isprovided a specific pattern chain.

If the pattern of the texture is to be changed, various pattern elementsin the pattern chains must be exchanged so that the guide bars arecontrolled in a different rhythm. Such a technique is complicated andtime-consuming.

Depending on the pattern to be made, the length of the pattern chainsmay be substantial and may, above all, be of different lengths for theindividual guide bars so that a considerable amount of apparatus isrequired. Moreover, it is disadvantageous that the controls of the guidebars are effected by particularly shaped mechanical structures, namely,the pattern elements, since the manufacture of these pattern elementsrequires a great amount of labor and time.

In summary, it can be said that the conversion of given information(according to the pattern) into the corresponding control commands forthe machine is very complicated and tedious in warp knitting machines.

It is an object of this invention to provide an arrangement for adigitally controlled translational movement which may be usedparticularly for the control of the guide bars of warp knittingmachines.

According to the invention, this object is attained by using spacershaving different widths (dimensions in a given direction) to obtaindifferent valences of the digital information. To achieve a particularpattern, the informational instructions are employed to selectparticular spacers and arrange them successively so that their widthsadd up to produce the translational movement of the guide bar requiredfor that part of the pattern.

By the invention, a generally applicable arrangement is providedpermitting a pre-established digital information to be converted intogeometrical quantities, such as widths.

A further modification of this invention is characterized in that thespacers have a position of rest from which the spacers required (whenconverting a pre-established digital information) are moved into anoperating position which is disposed between a drive effecting theshifting and an index.

Substantial advantages are obtained by applying the invention to thecontrol of the guide bars of warp knitting machines. Instead of using apattern chain, an arrangement according to the invention for controllinga guide bar is applied. Thereby, all the disadvantages described abovein connection with pattern chains are eliminated. A pattern to beknitted is, for example, established in digital form on an informationmedia such as a kind of Jacquard card, punched tape, or the like. Fromthis coded card or tape, electromagnets are controlled in a known mannerto effect the movement of the spacers.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The drawing is a diagrammatic illustrationof an embodiment of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENT The following disclosure is offeredfor public dissemination in return for the grant of a patent. Althoughit is detailed to ensure adequacy and aid understanding, this is notintended to prejudice that purpose of a patent which is to cover eachnew inventive concept therein no matter how others may later disguise itby variations in form or additions or further improvements. The claimsat the end hereof are intended as the chief aid toward this purpose, asit is these that meet the requirement of pointing out the parts,improvements, or combinations in which the inventive concepts are found.

A plurality of spacers l, 2, 4, 8 and 16 are employed. Each has adifferent width, i.e., vertical dimension as seen in the drawing. Thesewidths are digitally related to each other. In the illustratedembodiment, the spacers 1, 2, 4, 8 and 16 have respective widths l l l land I In the binary system the spacer 1 represents the value 2, thespacer 2 the value 2, etc. The spacers have a position of rest 25 (inwhich they are inoperative) and an operative position 26. They are movedfrom the inoperative to the operative position by respectiveelectromagnets M1, M2, M4, M8 and M16 when the latter are energized. Inthe illustrated example, the spacers l, 4 and 16 are in their operativepositions corresponding to a binary number LOLOL.

For converting this binary number into a translational movement, the cam20 is rotated as indicated. The cam shifts the spacers 1, 4 and 16against the bolt 21. Bolt 21 (mounted for axial movement in a frame 24)has a position of rest (or zero position) against the stop 22 to whichposition it is urged by the spring 23. Continued cam movement forces thebolt upwardly by the sum of the widths of the spacers I I 1, Thus, thedigital value is converted into a translational movement of a givenincrement. If no spacer is in its operating position, the bolt will notbe shifted upon rotation of the cam or will be shifted only by a minimumfixed value. To improve the sliding movement of the cam 20 when thespacers are shifted, a roller 28 and a plate 27 are employed. Shiftingof the bolt 21 may be used for the control of various operations. By wayof example, the guide bar of a warp knitting machine may be controlledby means of the bolt. As is known, the guide bars are shifted during theknitting process to produce patterns.

A pattern being knitted is coded in digital values into an informationmeans such as a form of Jacquard card, etc. The information is thenautomatically taken from the coded card to control the energizing of theelectromagnets which select the spacers. For controlling a warp knittingmachine, an arrangement, such as that illustrated and described, isrequired for each guide bar. Each arrangement, according to theinvention, is designed narrow so that they can all be positioned closelytogether in a row.

The speed at which the cam rotates is defined by the working rhythm ofthe warp knitting machine which also determines the times ofinterrogation of the coded card.

I claim:

1. In a warp knitting machine having a movable guide bar and a devicefor moving said guide bar in different and predetermined strokes, theimprovement comprising:

a bolt having an end and an axis, means guiding said bolt for axialmovement, a spring contacting said bolt and resiliently urging said boltin a direction such that said end is forwardly to a position of rest, astop positioned to contact a portion of said bolt and prevent said boltfrom moving in said direction beyond said position of rest, actuatingmeans having a part having a relative motion toward and away from saidend, said actuating means being positioned beyond said end when said endis at said position of rest to define a space therebetween, a pluralityof individually movable spacers each having a specific dimension in agiven direction, said dimensions of the spacers being digitally relatedto each other and each being a different digit, and means includingelectromagnets associated with said spacers for moving said spacers intosaid space between said actuating means and said bolt.

2. In a machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein said actuating meanscomprises a rotating cam.

=1 l l l I

1. In a warp knitting machine having a movaBle guide bar and a devicefor moving said guide bar in different and predetermined strokes, theimprovement comprising: a bolt having an end and an axis, means guidingsaid bolt for axial movement, a spring contacting said bolt andresiliently urging said bolt in a direction such that said end isforwardly to a position of rest, a stop positioned to contact a portionof said bolt and prevent said bolt from moving in said direction beyondsaid position of rest, actuating means having a part having a relativemotion toward and away from said end, said actuating means beingpositioned beyond said end when said end is at said position of rest todefine a space therebetween, a plurality of individually movable spacerseach having a specific dimension in a given direction, said dimensionsof the spacers being digitally related to each other and each being adifferent digit, and means including electromagnets associated with saidspacers for moving said spacers into said space between said actuatingmeans and said bolt.
 2. In a machine as set forth in claim 1, whereinsaid actuating means comprises a rotating cam.